Colossus

About 40 percent of the attractions at the San Francisco Bay Area Maker Faire this weekend will be all new, according to show organizers. In addition to returning fire-breathing favorites, new installations worth seeing this year include large projects that blend art, science fair engineering, and often a dose of madness. Here are what we expect to be the top projects of the Maker Faire 2011.

Colossus is a 70-foot maypole with three 10,000-pound rocks suspended from a rotating gyre at the top. Brave Faire attendees can stand under the stones and move them by pulling chains.

Maker Faire organizers say they've reviewed all installations for safety. This project was originally created for the 2005 Burning Man.

Artist: Zachary Coffiin